Current Science

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Iron Technology in Medieval Kerala : Archaeometallurgical Studies on Iron Artefacts from Triprangode


Affiliations
1 Indian Institute of Technology, Palaj, Gandhinagar 382 055, India
2 College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide 5001, Australia
3 Pazhassiraja Archaeological Museum, East Hill, Kozhikode 673 005, India
 

Iron was a new entrant and a must in weaponry in the 2nd and 1st millennium BCE. There is every possibility of iron being used for generations, and deposited or hidden it for use in the times of need or even as a part of religious activities. Dating iron has been mostly based on the associated finds, and iron has been repeatedly melted, shaped and reused. Differentiating the iron in use at present from that in earlier times has been a challenge, and requires the dating of artefacts. Chemical objects characterization is contextual-specific. Three iron objects recovered from a cave near Triprangode, Kerala, India was studied using various analytical techniques to understand the metallurgical characteristics such as micro­structure, phases, inclusions and production technology. The artefact was also dated using accelerator mass spectroscopy (AMS). The three artefacts included two swords and a tripod, which were reported to belong to the 1st millennium bce based on associated pottery finds and typological comparison. Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy techniques were employed for microstructure analysis. X-ray fluorescence analysis was used to identify the elements present in the samples. X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectro­scopy analyses were performed to identify the phases present in the samples. AMS radiocarbon dating was carried out to determine the age of the artefacts. A combination of these techniques helped identify the iron-making process.

Keywords

Archaeometallurgical Studies, AMS Dating, Iron Artefacts, Medieval Period, Microstructure.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Jaikishan, S., Survey of iron and wootz steel production sites in northern Telangana. Indian J. Hist. Sci., 2007, 42, 445–460.

  • Singh, A. K., Kanungo, A. K., Selvakumar, V. and Arora, A., Ancient high carbon steel from South Tamil Nadu, India: microstructural and elemental analysis, Curr. Sci., 2021, 121, 239–247.

  • Srinivasan, S., Indian iron and steel, with special reference to southern India. In The World of Iron, Archetype Press, London, 2013, pp. 83–90.

  • Thiele, A., Smelting experiments in the early medieval fajszi-type bloomery and the metallurgy of iron bloom, Period. Polytech. Mech. Eng., 2010, 54, 99–104.

  • Balasubramaniam, R., Pandey, A. and Jaikishan, S., Analysis of wootz steel crucible from northern Telangana. Indian J. Hist. Sci., 2007, 42, 649–671.

  • Prakash, B., Ancient Indian iron and steel: an archaeometallurgical study. Indian J. Hist. Sci., 2011, 46, 381–410.

  • Govind, B., Remnants of Iron Age found at Triprangode: pottery and swords recovered from rock-cut chamber said to be over 2000 years old. The Hindu (Kerala edn), 29 August 2020.

  • Melpathur, S., Megalithic age rock-cut chamber and iron weapons discovered from Thirunavaya. Mathrubhumi Daily (Malappuram edn), 24 August 2020.

  • http://d-maps.com (accessed on 26 December 2021).

  • Rajan, K. and Yatheeskumar, V. P., New evidences on scientific dates for Brāhmῑ script as revealed from Porunthal and Kodumanal excavations, Prāgdhārā, 2013, 21–22, 279–295.

  • Srinivasan, S., Ranganathan, S. and Giumlia-Mair, A., Metals and civilizations. National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru, 2015.

  • Roy, O. and Krishnan, K., Understanding ancient iron technology of the Vidarbha Megalithic: an archaeo-metallurgical and ethnographic perspective. Pratna Samiksha, 2018, 9, 115–136.

  • Jia, N., Shen, Y. F., Liang, J. W., Feng, X. W., Wang, H. B. and Misra R. D. K., Nanoscale spheroidized cementite induced ultra-high strength–ductility combination in innovatively processed ultrafine-grained low alloy medium-carbon steel. Sci. Rep., 2017, 7, 2679.

  • Grevey, A. L., Vignal, V., Krawiec, H., Ozga, P., Peche-Quilichini, K., Rivalan, A. and Mazière, F., Microstructure and long-term corrosion of archaeological iron alloy artefacts. Herit. Sci., 2020, 8, 1–19.


Abstract Views: 250

PDF Views: 124




  • Iron Technology in Medieval Kerala : Archaeometallurgical Studies on Iron Artefacts from Triprangode

Abstract Views: 250  |  PDF Views: 124

Authors

Mo Rizwan Ahmad Qureshi
Indian Institute of Technology, Palaj, Gandhinagar 382 055, India
Nishkarsh Srivastava
Indian Institute of Technology, Palaj, Gandhinagar 382 055, India
Alok Kumar Kanungo
College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide 5001, Australia
Amit Arora
Indian Institute of Technology, Palaj, Gandhinagar 382 055, India
K. Krishna Raj
Pazhassiraja Archaeological Museum, East Hill, Kozhikode 673 005, India

Abstract


Iron was a new entrant and a must in weaponry in the 2nd and 1st millennium BCE. There is every possibility of iron being used for generations, and deposited or hidden it for use in the times of need or even as a part of religious activities. Dating iron has been mostly based on the associated finds, and iron has been repeatedly melted, shaped and reused. Differentiating the iron in use at present from that in earlier times has been a challenge, and requires the dating of artefacts. Chemical objects characterization is contextual-specific. Three iron objects recovered from a cave near Triprangode, Kerala, India was studied using various analytical techniques to understand the metallurgical characteristics such as micro­structure, phases, inclusions and production technology. The artefact was also dated using accelerator mass spectroscopy (AMS). The three artefacts included two swords and a tripod, which were reported to belong to the 1st millennium bce based on associated pottery finds and typological comparison. Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy techniques were employed for microstructure analysis. X-ray fluorescence analysis was used to identify the elements present in the samples. X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectro­scopy analyses were performed to identify the phases present in the samples. AMS radiocarbon dating was carried out to determine the age of the artefacts. A combination of these techniques helped identify the iron-making process.

Keywords


Archaeometallurgical Studies, AMS Dating, Iron Artefacts, Medieval Period, Microstructure.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv124%2Fi3%2F333-339